If I’m making chicken karahi or mutton Salan or anything, even after using cooker, the masala remains solid that is khara hua. The onions, tomatoes though mixed and geled well are still not a smooth paste. I don’t want to blend them cuz that gives a different look. I galaofy them and then later add oil to bhoonofy till its drying out. Why does the masala then stay solid?
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
What I do is that I brown the onions really well before adding the tomatoes, then I add more than 1 cup of water before giving pressure for 5-6 mins max, masala does come out really mushy but also watery because of the extra liquid from the tomatoes, but it takes about 5 min to ‘sukahana’ it, hope this works for you too 
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
Hmmm…i don’t add oil toward the end. I fry the onion/garlic until they brown…then add tomatoes and masalay…and mash them…so the ingredients blend better or become smoother…and then add water. Maybe you’re not adding water? But then u also say that you don’t want it to be blended, so then it would appear more “khara.”
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
omg I have this problem!! Last time I did a dawat my salan was all kharra kharra and ended up blending it in a smoothy maker last minute in a total panic. I don’t have a pressure cooker either, and don’t have a hand blender so can’t always use my smoothie maker!!!
I chop the onions, lassan and adrak really fine by hand, and then add tomatoes after making it golden brown. How do I make it all into a smooth paste without a pressure cooker???
My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
If i have to make say mutton… I add mutton, onions, tomatoes, seasonings & almost half filled water to a Pressure Cooker. After almost 15 minutes of pressure, I open the PC, dry water , add oil and bhoonofy.
Now I am not sure if I should brown the onions first and then give pressure like u guys are saying?
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
You heat-up oil and add onions fry them till they’re light brown and add-in your gin/garlic paste and tomatoes.. then your powdered masala’s with a little water. When the oil starts to seperate add your meat and more water and let it cook till the meat is tender.
My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
As other said, try frying onions first n then opt for any of the above listed methods. Fried onions taste better n masala turns out good too.. Plus the size of onions. Whenever i make something which has masala in it, i cut the onions like we do for omlete..try to cut everything into small pieces n then see if it does make any difference
Slice the onions thinly, chop the tomatoes up. Garlic doesn’t need to be crushed since you’re using the PC…it’ll mush easily. If your onions ae sliced thickly/big you’ll have a hard time making them into a smooth-saucy sort. I make mutton generally the same way you posted, and my masala is always smooth/saucier rather than khara. Don’t dry the water completely up before you add oil for bhoonifying. Add oil when the masala looks like a sauce rather than a paste. Also, when u bhoonify, it usually turns smooth. Maybe you aren’t bhooning for long enough? Let the oil separate completely.
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
I am not a pro-cook like everyone here but this is something i learned from my mom. Everything in masala needs to be cut in a certain way to make sure it blends in and doesn’t remain solid. To explain better I am including a few pictures off internet.
Onion: http://thumbs.ifood.tv/files/images/Tips_on_how_to_dice_onions.jpg in this shape and not so thin, thicker the better actually. And no cubes.
Tomatos: Peel it off and then slice in this shape http://www.swallowfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/knife-slicing-tomato-500x3241.jpg
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
When do you add your salt? Salt helps tenderize the vegetables faster. Add it in the start. The oil that you add later. Also add that in the start.
If your tomatoes & onions are cooked through & haven’t completely dissolved, during bhoonifying add some water, cover & cook on medium heat. You’ll need to constantly watch it & repeat this process. Eventually they should dissolve.
Watch when you add your salt though.
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
I was about to say about the direction of cutting onions too. I follow what eastern dresses told. since you put everything together and cook,they tend to stay separate. follow the step by step thing…Browning onions,add gg,bhoon.then tomatoes,bhoon,then masalay then your meat/veggies and so on.
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
dont add salt and coriander powder before giving time in cooker
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
can someone please describe step by step how to make masala (and how to cut onions and tomatoes - do you really cut them in circles not cubes?!!!) if you DO NOT have a pressure cooker???
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
preheat oil
add onions** finally** sliced ,round shape is preferable
fry until brown stirring occasionally
add ginger garlic paste n stir fry giving water splashes now n then for preventing sticking to the bottom
add tomatoes chopped n stir fry untill the masala is smooth
in the end add salt n pepper n other masalas
NOTE: use wooden spoon for making masala
this is my way n masala is always smooth : )
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
Thank you
I do this step by step and my masala turns out kharra kharra and I end up using a smoothie maker to blend it. The only difference is I chop my onions and tomatoes in cubes and small as possible to keep it fine. Will try next time to chop in fine circles let’s see what happens, but I don’t get the logic of the bigger the onion the smoother the masala…?
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
It worked! it worked! It worked! 
We had a party at our place yesterday and I tried your method of browning the onions first, making the masala then adding water & Meat and then giving pressure. It turned out exactly like I wanted and the masala was so fine just as i wished, no solid stuff in it. Thank you so much girls! 
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
well sm where i read abt onion rings for masala making like in Totkays etc
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
No no dnt brown onion. Wat u r doing is correct.
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
I Thot really deep and want to ask u this. R u using crushed onions instead of sliced? R u using too much onion?if u use too much onion then I think u do get khara masala n if u us crushed onion.
Re: My masala always turns out to be Kharra masala!!
Browning the onions and then giving splashes of water while stiring it and cooking it covered on lower heat setting, helps blend the onions into a finer masala.
And like some of you said that putting all the stuff together in the pressure cooker , hardly will give you a blended masala .. always make the masala first then add meat and bhoon it for a couple seconds , then add water and put it in the pressure cooker , that will give you perfect results ..